Omicron variant of Covid-19, said state health department on Saturday. The man, 72, had recently returned from Zimbabwe. His sample was sent for genome sequencing after he tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.
The country had detected its first two cases of the Omicron variant from Karnataka earlier this week. The new potentially more contagious B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on 24 November and has been designated as a "Variant of Concern" by the global body.
A “variant of concern" is the WHO's top category of worrying Covid-19 variants. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint.